Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Mo-2616
PC-173
FLAME RETARDING AGENTS FOR POLYCARBONATES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to flame retarding
compounds suitable for improving the flame resistance
of thermoplastic compositions and more particularly to
N-(alkoxyphenyl) phthalimides.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The presently disclosed novel N-(alkoxyphenyl)
phthalimides conform to
)~i. O (OR) g (OR) g O (X
wherein X is a halogen, preferably chlorine or bromine,
R is a Cl-C4 alkyl, preferably methyl, g is an
integer between 1 and 5, preferably 1 or 2, n is an
integer from O to 4, preferably 1 to 2, m is either O
or 1, preferably O and p is either O or 1, preferably
0 0. is an effective flame retarding agent suitable in
improving the ~lammability rating of thermoplastic
molding compositions. ~articularly, the~molding
compositions thus improved comprise a polycarbonate
resin.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Flame retarding additives for use in p~olymeric
compositions include phosph~tes, phosphoric acid esters
and ~hio-phosphoric acid esters containing halogenated
alkyl;radicals.~ Also, me~al salts notably~sulfonate
~salts of alkali or alkaline earth metals~have been
disclosed to improve the flame retardance of polycarbon-
Mo-2616
~ PC-173
: :
: .
..
-- 2 --
ates. Further, chlorine or bromine substitutions in
some of the phenolic diols used in the preparation of
polycarbonates have been disclosed to impart flame
retardance to the polycarbonate resin.
Illustrative of the sulfonic acid salts and of
metal salts are those disclosed in U.S. Patent Numbers
3,775~367; 4,067,846; 4,073,678; 4,075,164; 4,066,618;
4,069,201; 4,093,589; 3,971,7S6; 3,933,734; 3,940,366
and 3,919,167.
Some of these flame retardants, however, in
order to be effective, are added in relatively large
amounts such as to adversely effect some of the desir-
able properties of the base resin. For e~amplel both
the impact strength and the hydrolytic stability are
15 compromised upon addition of large quantities of salt.
Further, many of these flame retarding salts are
susceptible to volatilization at the high molding
temperatures of polycarbonates, necessitating thus the
addition of excess amounts of salt which in turn bring
20 about haze and loss of transparency. Since there is no
uniformity of processing conditions among molders, it
becomes difficult, if not impossible, to regulate the
ultimate amount of salt incorporated into the resins.
Flame retardants incorporating a phthalimide
25 group have been disclosed in, for instance, British
Patent No. 1,287,934 and U.S. Patent Nos. 3,873,567;
; 3,923,734; 3,915,930; 3,868,388; 4,087,441; 4,001,179;
4,003,862 and ~,320,049.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TH~ INVENTION
The preparation of the novel compounds o~ the
invention may be carried out by condensing, in a
suitable solvent, the corresponding phthalic anhydride
and an appropriate al~oxyaniline. Generally, the
phthalic anhydride corresponds to
Mo-2616
PC-173
L3~ 3
,~c~ ,
( )n O
wherein X is a halogen, preferably chlorine or bromine
and n is 0 to 4, preferably 1 to 2.
The suitable alkoxyaniline may carry 1 to 5,
preferably 1 or 2, alkoxy substituents which are any of
Cl-C4 alkoxy groups.
The suitable solvent in the context of prepar-
ing the novel compounds of the invention are any one of
acetic acid and aprotic solvents such as dimethyl form-
amide, dimethyl acetamide, N-methyl pyrrolidone and
n-methyl caprolactam. Also suitable are hydrocarbon
solvents such as toluene, xylene and o-dichlorobenzene.
The flame retarding agent of the invention is
useful in improving the flame resistance of thermo-
plastic molding compositions comprising polycarbonate
resin and the articles formed therefrom.
Due in part to théir low volatility and to
their relatively low melt temperature the compounds of
the invention prove to be particularly suitable in the
~preparation of polycarbonate based molding
- compositions. The compounds are substantially soluble
in polycarbonate resins at the processing temperature
of the resin and produce clear compositions, and
moldings prepared therefrom, which have good light
transmission and virtual freedom from haze.
The;polycarbonate resins useful in the
practice of the invention are homopolycarbonate,
copolycarbonatc and terpolycarbonate resins or mixtures
thereof. The polycarbonate resins generally have
molecular weights of 10,000-200,000 (weight average
Mo-2616
PC-173
.,
.
i3
-- 4 --
molecular weight) preferably 20,000-80,000, and may
alternatively be characterized by their melt flow of
1-~4 gm/10 min. at 300C per ASTM D-1238. These
polycarbonates may be prepared, for example, by the
known two phase interface process from phosgene and
dihydroxy compounds by polycondensation (see German OS
2,063,050; 2,053,052; 1,570,703; 2,211,956; 2,211,957
and 2,248,817 and French Patent 1,561,518 and the
monograph, H. Schnell, Chemistry and Physics of
Polycarbonates, Interscience Publishers, New York, 1964.
In the present context, dihydroxy compounds
suitable for the preparation of the polycarbonates of
the invention conform to the structural formulae (1) or
(2~ ~ O g _ ~ O~l (l)
HO ~ (Z)d J
HQ HO
(Z)d ~ (2)
(Z)f (Zl~
15 wherein
A denotes an alkylene group with l to 8 carbon atoms, an
alkylidene group with 2 to 8 carbon atoms, a
cycloalkylene group with 5 to 15 carbon atoms,
a cycloalkylidene group with 5 to 15 carbon
atoms, a carbonyl group, an oxygen atom, a
sulfur atom, an -SO- or -S02- radical; a
radical of the general formula
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PC-173
13
-- 5 --
CH3
CH~ _ C-- or C~ CH3
CH3 CH3 C~I3
g denotes the number 0 or 1;
e denotes the number 0 or 1;
Z denotes F, Cl, Br or a Cl-C2 alkyl and if several Z
radicals are substituents in one aryl radical,
they may be identical or differenti
d denotes 0 or an integer of from 1 to 4; and
denotes 0 or an integer of from 1 to 3.
Among the useful dihydroxy compounds in the
lO practice of the invention are hydroquinone, resorcinol,
bis-(hydroxyphenyl)-alkanes, bis-(hydroxyphenyl)-cyclo-
alkanes, bis-(hydroxyphenyl)-ethers, bis-(hydroxy-
phenyl)-ketones, bis-(hydroxyphenyl)-sulfides, bis-
(hydroxyphenyl)-sulfoxides, bis-(hydroxyphenyl)-
15 sulfones and ~,~-bis-(hydroxyphenyl)-diisopropyl-
ben~enes. These and further suitable aromatic dihydroxy
compounds are described, for example, in U.S. Patents
3,028,365; 2,999,835; 3,148,172; 3,271,368; 2,991,273;
3,271,367; 3,280,078; 3,014,891 and 2,999,846, in German
20 Offenlegungsschriften (German Published Specifications)
1,570,703; 2,063,050; 2,063,052; 2,211,956 and
2,211,957, in French Patent Specification 1,561,418 and
in the monograph, H. Schnell, Chemistry and Physics of
Polycarbonates, Interscience Publishers, New York, 1964.
25 Further examples of suitable dihydroxy compounds are
2,2-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propane (bisphenol A),
2,4-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-methyl-butane, 1,1-bis-(4-
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PC-173
.
~ 3
hydroxyphenyl)-cyclohexane, a,a-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-
p-diisopropyl-benzene, 2,2-bis-(3-chloro-4-hydroxy-
phenyl)-propane, hydroxybenzophenone and 4,4'-sulfonyl
diphenol; the most preferred one is 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxy-
5 phenyl)-propane (bisphenol A).
The polycarbonates of the invention may entail
in their structure, units derived from one or more of
the suitable bisphenols.
The preparation of polycarbonate resins may be
carried out in accordance with any of the processes
known in the art, for example, by the interfacial poly-
condensation process, polycondensation in a homogeneous
phase or by transesterification.
The suitable processes and the associated
reactants, catalysts, solvents and conditions are known
in the art and have been described, inter alia~ in
German Patents 1,046,311 and 962,274 and in U.S.
Patents 3,248,414; 3,153,008; 3,215,668; 3~187,065;
3,028,365; 2,999,846; 2,999,835; 2,964,974; 2,970,137;
20 3,912,638 and 1,991,273.
In the preparation of the polycarbonate resins
of the invention monofunctional reactants such as mono-
phenols may be used in order to limit their respective
molecular weights. Also, branching agents may be
25 employed. Branching may be obtained by the incorpora-
tion of small amounts, preferably of between about 0.05
and 2.0 mol % (relative to diphenols employed), of
trifunctional or more than trifunctional compounds,
especially compounds having three or moxe phenolic
30 hydroxyl groups. Polycarbonates of this type are
described, or example, in German Offenlegungsschriften
(German Published Specifications) 1,570,533; I,595,762;
2,116,974 and 2,113,347; British Specification
Mo-2616
PC-173
~ 3
1,079,821 and U.S. Patent 3,544,514.
Some examples of compounds with three or more
than three phenolic hydroxyl groups which can be used
are phloroglucinol, 4,6-dimethyl-2,4,6-tri-(4-hydroxy
phenyl)-heptane, 2,4,6-trimethyl-2,4,6-tri-(4-hydroxy
phenyl)-heptane, 1,4,5-tri-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-benzene,
l,l,l-tri (4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethane, tri-(4-hydroxy
phenyl)-phenylmethane, 2,2-bis[4,4-bis-(4-hydroxy
phenyl)-cyclohexyl]-propane, 2,4-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl
~o isopropyl)-phenol, 2,6-bis-(2 hydroxy-5'-methylbenzyl)-
4-methylphenol, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2,4-dihydroxy-
phenyl)-propane, hexa(4-(4-hydroxyphenylisopropyl)-
phenyl)-ortho-terephthalic acid ester, tetra-(4-hydro~y-
phenyl)-methane, tetra-(4-t4-hydroxyphenylisopropyl)-
phenoxy)-methane and 1,4-bis-((4',4"-dihydroxy-tri-
phenyl) methyl)-benzene. Some o~ the other trifunc-
tional compounds are 2,4-dihydroxy-benzoic acid,
trimesic acid, cyanuric chloride and 3,3-bis-(4-hydroxy-
phenyl)-2-oxo-2,3-dihydroindole.
~mong the resins suitable in the practice of
the invention are included phenolphthalein-based
polycarbonate, copolycarbonates and terpolycarbonates
such as are described in U.S. Patents 3,036,036 and
4,210,741.
The flame retarding agent of the invention is
incorporated in the thermoplastic polycarbonate resins
in an amount sufficient to bring about an improvement in
the flame retardance of these resins, preferably the
amount thus incorporated is between about 0.01 and about
1.0 percent, more preferably between about 0.1 and about
0.75 percent, said percent being relative to the total
weight of said resin and said flame retarding agent.
Mo-~616
PC-173
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the
compositions further contain small amounts of sulfonic
or carboxylic acid salt. Specifically, the sulfonic or
carboxylic acid salt is present in an amount of about
0.01 to about 3 percent, most preferably 0.05 to about
1 percent relative to the weight of the thermoplastic
resin. Suitable sulfonic acid salts have been disclosed
in U.S. Pa~ent 3,775~367 and in U.S. Patent 4,3~1,935.
The preferred sulfonic acid salts are sodium or
potassium perfluorobutane sulfonates.
Examples of sui~able carbogylic acid salts in
the sense of the in~ention are the alkali metal salts,
especially the sodium salts and potassium salts, of
aliphatic, aromatic or aliphatic-aromatic monobasic or
15 dibasic, optionally halogenated, carboxylic acids with 1
to 24 carbon atoms, including those o formic acid,
acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric
acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, oenanthic acid,
caprylic acid, pelargnoic acid, capric acid9 lauric
20 acid, stearic acid, 3-(3,5-di-tert.-butyl-4-hydroxy-
phenyl~-propionic acid, oleic acid, oxalic acid, malonic
acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic
acid, sebacic acid, benzoic acid and its p-alkylated
derivatives with l to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl
25 radical, salicylic acid, terephthalic acid, isophthalic
acid, phthalic acid monobenzyl ester, diglycolic acid
monodecyl ester, adipic acid monobutyl ester and
3-chlorobenzoic acid.
An additional preferred embodiment entails
30 admixing with the compositions of the invention an
alkali metal salt of an inorganic acid. Lithium, sodium
and potassium salts are preferred. Suitable
Mo-2~16
PC-173
F~ 3
inorganic acids include any compound which does not
contain a carbon atom and meets the traditional tests
of acidity. Among the suitable acids are the mineral
acids and other Lewis acids which do not contain
carbon atoms. Preferred acids are those that form
salts with alkali metals which gave pH values of about
7 or less when dissolved in water.
The most preferred alkali salts of an
inorganic acid are the inorganic alkali metal complex
fluoro anion salts, this terminology being derived
from the discussion of fluorine compounds contained in
the text Advanced Inorganic Chemistry by F.A. Cotton
and G. Wilkinson, Interscience Publishers, 1962, at
pages 290-294. Suitable inorganic alkali metal
complex fluoro anion salts include KBF4, K3AlF6,
KAlF4, K2SiF6, Na3AlF6, KPF6 NaSbF6, Na3FeF6, NaPF$,
Na2SiF6, Na2TiF6~ NaBF4, K2Ta7, K2NbF7, KSbF6, K2NiF6'
K2TiF6,LiBF4,LiPF6 and LiBeF4.
KBF4, K3AlF6, KAlF4, K2SiF6 and Na3AlF6 are
the preferred inorganic alkali metal complex fluoro
anion salts, and Na3AlF6 is the most preferred
inorganic alkali m~tal complex fluoro anion salt.
The inorganic alkali metal complex fluoro
anion salts may be used in an effective amount up to
about 2 wt. % based on the weight of the polymer
resin. It is preferred to use no less than about
0.01 wt. % and more preferably no less than about
0.1 wt. %. It is also preferred to use no more than
about 1 wt. ~ and more preferably about 0.5 wt. %.
Amounts higher than 2 wt. % of salt will not decrease
Mo-2616
PC-173
,~
- 10 -
its effect upon flame retardance but may cause a
degree of degradation in the other properties o the
resin greater than is justified by the improvement in
flame retardancy.
Naturally, any particular salt which is known
to have characteristics likely to make it unacceptable
for use in poLymer resins should be avoided. For
instance, salts which decompose at the processing
temperatures of the resins into which they are
incorporated should be avoided.
The thermoplastic molding compositions o the
invention may contain further flame re~arding
additives and drip suppressants, for instance PTFE
(i.e~, polytetrafluoroethylene) an ASTM type 3
(fibrillating type). Other additives such as are
commonly used in thermoplastic molding compositions,
including reinforcing agents, fillers, pigments, dyes,
UV stabilizers, hydrolytic stabilizers, mold release
agents and plasticizers may be incorporate~ as well.
The invention is further illustrated, but is
not intended to be limited by the following examples
in which all parts and percentages are by weight
unless otherwise specified.
EXAMPLES
Compositions in accordance with the present
invention were prepared and their properties
determined. The table below summarizes the properties
of these molding compositions all of which were based
on a homopolycarbonate of bisphenol-A which is charac-
30 terized in that its melt flow rate (per ASTM D-1238)
is about 6-11.9 gm/10 min. (Merlon* M-40 from Mobay
Chemical Corporation). Each of the compositions
con~ained 0.5%, relative to its weight, of an imide in
*Trademark
Mo-2616
PC-173
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accordance with the invention. The particular imide
used in each of the compositions is identified in the
table in terms of its molecular structure. In addition
to the indicated imide, the compositions each contained
about 0.4% of polytetrafluoroethylene (ASTM type 3) and
0.3% of cryolite. Also, each composition contained
0.3% of a mold release agent (pentaerythritol
tetrastearate) and a pigment, neither of which are
believed critical in the present contex~.
The compositions were first extruded (1-1/2"
Waldron Hartig, 2.75:1 screw with mixing pins, at
60 rpm; 20,40,60,20 screen pack at a temperature
profile (F): rear zone 500-520, middle 500-515, front
510-520, ~ie 510; melt temperature 495-505F. Test
specimens were injection molded under the following
processing parameters: primary injection pressure 900
psi, secondary injection pressure 700 psi, 35 second
cycles; temperature profile (C): front 550C, nozzle
520C, middle 5S0C.
Mo-2616
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PC-173
It is important to note that prior art
compounds similar to the novel compounds of the present
invention except for the absence therefrom of the
claimed methoxy substituent, failed the UL-94 5V test.
Also, formulations which contained no imide moiety
failed that test.
The invention has been described with
particular reference to specific materials yet such
should not be viewed as in any way limiting the scope
lo of the invention which is set forth in the following
claims.
Mo-2616
PC-173
